Falcons DE Abraham questionable, expected to play

Atlanta defensive end John Abraham, the only Falcon with more than four sacks or two forced fumbles, is listed as questionable for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, but is expected to play.

The four-time Pro Bowl selection assumed an increased workload in today’s practice after he only took part in drills the previous two days. He has a sprained left ankle, an injury he aggravated in last week’s 30-28 divisional-playoff win against Seattle.

“I think he can be very effective,” Falcons coach Mike Smith told the Atlanta media.

The Falcons sure hope so. Abraham, 34, had 10 sacks and six forced fumbles for a defense whose other players collected 19 sacks and nine forced fumbles. Abraham played only 15 snaps last week, but Smith suggested he could have remained in the game. The Falcons were leading 20-0 when he exited in the second quarter,

“John re-tweaked his ankle,” Smith said. “With the way the score was at that point in time, we felt it was in our best interests to not put him back out there. He’s done a nice job this week. He participated in practice all this week. So we expect that he’ll be ready to go.”

In his 13-year career, Abraham has a 2-5 playoff record.

“You’d probably have to cut his foot off for him to miss this game,” Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson said Thursday. “In 13 years, this is the closest he’s ever been. He’s never played in the NFC Championship Game. It will have to be some unbearable pain to keep him out of this football game.”